Corelli Baroque Orchestra

Corelli Baroque Orchestra (CBO), the period-instrument baroque orchestra from Estonia, performed for the first time in December 2006. The artistic director of the orchestra is Mail Sildos who plays baroque violin herself. CBO is the logical continuation to baroque ensemble Corelli Consort (started in 1992) and concert agency Corelli Music (active since 2004). The tradition of period-instrument baroque orchestra in Estonia has been going on for over twenty years and today Estonia has a huge privilege to own the full orchestra of professional musicians who play on authentic baroque instruments.

Since its first concert, CBO has received warm reception from both audience and critics who have especially marked the orchestra's gallant and tasteful phrasing, professionalism and joy of playing together. CBO has performed numerous brilliant classical large-scale works: Magnificat, St. John's Passion, St. Matthew's Passion, Christmas Oratorio, motets, cantatas, Orchestra suite nr 3 by J. S. Bach, Messiah, Resurrezione and Water Music by Händel, Gloria, Magnificat, Stabat Mater by Vivaldi, Magnificat and Weinachts-historie by Schütz, Stabat Mater by Pergolesi/Durante, Missa brevis Sancti Joannis de Deo by Haydn, Te Deum, Messe de Minuit pour Noël, Magnificat H 73 and Concerto for strings H 545 by Charpentier, Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day by Purcell, Missa Bruxellensis by Biber (Estonian premiere), Concerti grossi and solo concertos for string instrument as well as for baroque bassoon, natrual trumpets, natural horn by Corelli, Vivaldi, Händel, Telemann, Graun, Canon and Gigue by Pachelbel, Ouverture BWV 1070 by J. S. Bach / W. Fr. Bach, solo cantatas and arias for countertenor by Bach, Buxtehude, Händel, Vivaldi etc. CBO has worked with many choirs, including Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir and soloists. Concerts have been conducted by Estonian conductors: Risto Joost, Tõnu Kaljuste, Martin Sildos, Endrik Üksvärav, from Holland Daniel Reuss and Teunis van der Zwart, from Finland Anssi Mattila.

There are lots of great musicians in Estonia who have been deeply engaged with early music issues for many years and continued studies in numerous master classes all over the world. The period instruments that are necessary to work in baroque orchestra have been mostly acquired by musicians' themselves and made by Estonian musical instrument makers such as Aaro Altpere, Taavi-Mats Utt, Peeter Talve, etc., or by foreign masters. All orchestra members are active in smaller ensembles that are dedicated to performing early music, both in Estonia (Corelli Consort, Cantores Vagantes, Rondellus, Tallinn Baroque, Estonian Baroque Soloists, Kiili Early Music Ensemble, etc.) and also in Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and elsewhere, as guest musicians.